He sent back, therefore, an answer calculated to beguile
Lisa, assuring him that he would wait for him at the
Poncas village, which was but a little distance in
advance; but, no sooner had the messenger departed,
than he pushed forward with all diligence, barely stopping
at the village to procure a supply of dried buffalo
meat, and hastened to leave the other party as far
behind as possible, thinking there was less to be
apprehended from the open hostility of Indian foes
than from the quiet strategy of an Indian trader.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Camp Gossip.—­Deserters.—­Recruits.—­Kentucky
Hunters.—­A
Veteran Woodman.—­Tidings
of Mr. Henry.-Danger From the
Blackfeet.—­Alteration
of Plans.—­Scenery of the River.—­
Buffalo Roads.—­Iron
Ore.—­Country of the Sioux.—­A
Land of
Danger.-apprehensions
of the Voyageurs.—­Indian Scouts.—­
Threatened Hostilities.—­A
Council of War.—­An Array of
Battle.—­A
Parley.—­The Pipe of Peace.—­Speech-Making.

It was about noon when the party left the Poncas village,
about a league beyond which they passed the mouth
of the Quicourt, or Rapid River (called, in the original
French, l’Eau Qui Court). After having
proceeded some distance further, they landed, and encamped
for the night. In the evening camp, the voyageurs
gossiped, as usual, over the events of the day; and
especially over intelligence picked up among the Poncas.
These Indians had confirmed the previous reports of
the hostile intentions of the Sioux, and had assured
them that five tribes, or bands, of that fierce nation
were actually assembled higher up the river, and waiting
to cut them off. This evening gossip, and the
terrific stories of Indian warfare to which it gave
rise, produced a strong effect upon the imagination
of the irresolute; and in the morning it was discovered
that the two men, who had joined the party at the
Omaha village, and been so bounteously fitted out,
had deserted in the course of the night, carrying
with them all their equipments. As it was known
that one of them could not swim, it was hoped that
the banks of the Quicourt River would bring them to
a halt. A general pursuit was therefore instituted,
but without success.

On the following morning (May 26th), as they were
all on shore, breakfasting on one of the beautiful
banks of the river, they observed two canoes descending
along the opposite side. By the aid of spy-glasses,
they ascertained that there were two white men in one
of the canoes, and one in the other. A gun was
discharged, which called the attention of the voyagers,
who crossed over. They proved to be the three
Kentucky hunters, of the true “dreadnought”
stamp. Their names were Edward Robinson, John
Hoback, and Jacob Rizner. Robinson was a veteran
backwoodsman, sixty-six years of age. He had been
one of the first settlers of Kentucky, and engaged
in many of the conflicts of the Indians on “the